The White House hasn’t yet said what President Donald Trump plans to talk about during Tuesday’s State of the Union address, but two things will be clear as he takes the dais: His speech will be long, and he plans to talk about the economy.
“We have a country that’s now doing well,” Trump said during an event at the White House on Monday. “We have the greatest economy we’ve ever had. We have the most activity we’ve ever had. I’m making a speech tomorrow night, and you’ll be hearing me say that. It’s going to be a long speech because we have so much to talk about.”
What exactly Trump will talk about is unclear. His speech will take place against a backdrop of trade confusion following Friday’s Supreme Court ruling striking down many of his tariffs and Trump’s imposition of a new 15% global import tax in response, and as lawmakers continue to squabble over Democrats’ demands for dramatic immigration enforcement reform following federal agents’ killing of Americans Renee Good and Alex Pretti last month in Minneapolis. The Department of Homeland Security has been partially shut down since Feb. 14.
—Spectrum News’ Susan Carpenter
Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent listens to questions from members of the House Financial Services Committee during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)
Top Trump officials insist courts must give guidance on how to approach potential tariff refunds
Top Trump administration officials are insisting that courts must weigh in on how to approach potentially issuing tariff refunds in the wake of the major Supreme Court ruling last week that found the authority he cited to impose most of them cannot be used in such a manner.
It comes as Trump kicked off the week doubling down on his fervent criticism of the high court for its decision while making clear he has no intention of backing off seeking ways to still impose them.
In separate interviews over the weekend, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer both signaled that the administration will not proceed with seeking to give refunds from the billions of revenue collected through the tariffs on its own. Instead, they made the case that lower courts must give guidance on doing so and warned such a process could take time.
—Spectrum News’ Maddie Gannon
N.C. man shot and killed at Mar-a-Lago wasn’t interested in politics or guns, cousin says
The 21-year-old North Carolina man who drove through a gate at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort with a shotgun before he was shot and killed worked as a golf course groundskeeper and liked to sketch.
Austin Tucker Martin rarely, if ever, talked about politics, seemed afraid of guns and came from a family of Trump supporters, according to Braeden Fields, a cousin who said the two grew up together.
“I wouldn’t believe he would do something like this. It’s mind-blowing,” Fields said. “He wouldn’t even hurt an ant. He doesn’t even know how to use a gun.”
—The Associated Press
FBI Director Kash Patel testifies during a budget hearing on Capitol Hill, May 7, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr., File)
FBI director joins U.S. men’s hockey team in locker room celebration of Olympic gold medal
Fresh off a gold medal victory in this year’s Winter Olympics, the American men’s hockey team is playing a center role in U.S. politics Monday.
Some Republicans are praising the team as an example of embodying American pride while a video showing FBI Director Kash Patel appearing to celebrate with the players in the locker room after their victory Sunday is drawing criticism from Democrats.
Videos shared on social media showed a pumped-up Patel drinking beer from a bottle and spraying the rest around the locker room. After one of the players draped his gold medal around Patel’s neck, he joined the players as they jumped up and down. The display from the FBI director sparked fierce criticism from some Democrats, with pushback that challenged his use of government resources and his handling of the release of files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
—The Associated Press and Spectrum News’ Maddie Gannon
More Monday reads
• Judge blocks release of special counsel Jack Smith’s report on Trump classified documents case
• EU hits pause on U.S. trade deal as it seeks clarity over latest Trump tariff maneuver
• State Department orders nonessential U.S. diplomats to leave Lebanon as tensions with Iran soar
• FDA says it will speed up rare disease treatment approvals